VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.0) updated 21 June 2023

[Corinne]

I saw posted photos of the renovated AK villas, are they they only DVC resorts with Keurigs?

 

[twinklebug]

I saw posted photos of the renovated AK villas, are they they only DVC resorts with Keurigs?

DVC is still using the 12 cup machines. The cash rooms in Jambo have been converted from the horrible tiny drip makers to keurigs.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I saw posted photos of the renovated AK villas, are they they only DVC resorts with Keurigs?

As twinklebug said the hotel rooms at Jambo were just renovated but not the villas. Those had a soft goods refurb 2 or maybe it's getting to be 3 years ago and still had the regular coffee pots after that. Where did you see pictures of AKV villas with Keurig?

 

[Corinne]

It was on IG, I thought it was posted by AllEars, but now can’t seem to find the post! I could have sworn it was the villas! Oh well, guess I’ll keep lugging my personal Keurig in our Owners Locker!

 

[sleepydog25]

It was on IG, I thought it was posted by AllEars, but now can’t seem to find the post! I could have sworn it was the villas! Oh well, guess I’ll keep lugging my personal Keurig in our Owners Locker!

We were at Kidani in very early March, and it did not have a Keurig. . .just for further verification.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It was on IG, I thought it was posted by AllEars, but now can’t seem to find the post! I could have sworn it was the villas! Oh well, guess I’ll keep lugging my personal Keurig in our Owners Locker!

I hadn't looked at how the new AKL rooms turned out after being very disappointed in seeing what they were doing to WL rooms (and worried for VLW!) so just found some pictures on a couple of websites and video. It's nice to see they can still do a design with some bits of color and interest although it isn't as bold as it was.

However I'm now sad to see that they are consistently putting sliding doors on the tub/shower combos in the remodels. I've ripped them out of any new place we have moved into - they can look nice but are just too hard to keep clean. I'd rather wash and/or buy shower curtains as necessary but I guess I'm not the one cleaning those tracks. Just hope mousekeeping will!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

 

[bluecastle]

 

[Granny]

 

[DisneyNutzy]

Hi Groupies,
Its been forever and a day since I checked in. I hope everyone is safe and healthy during these crazy times. Still living in NYC so we are in the thick of this but fortunately all my immediate family is well.

Times like this make us long for our favorite times and places. Coming on here and seeing so many familiar names and your pictures of the lodge has put a smile on my face that will last all day.

Here is hoping we are all at our home away from home soon enough! Stay well groupies!

DisneyNutzy (Gregg)

 

[Granny]

Times like this make us long for our favorite times and places. Coming on here and seeing so many familiar names and your pictures of the lodge has put a smile on my face that will last all day.

Gregg....it is awesome to see you back visiting here in the Groupies corner for a while!

We are glad to hear that you and your family are doing well...especially since you live in NYC. I can't even imagine what the mindset of the NYC inhabitants is right now, but we pray that your good health continues.

 

[TCRAIG]

Hey All - it’s official - our 40th wedding anniversary trip has been cancelled...oh well - we’re all healthy, I’m still working and there’s always next May!... and we still have our Lodge trip planned for December so there’s that to look forward to. Thanks everyone for these great pictures - helps to chase away the Disney blues

 

[sleepydog25]

Hi Groupies,
Its been forever and a day since I checked in. I hope everyone is safe and healthy during these crazy times. Still living in NYC so we are in the thick of this but fortunately all my immediate family is well.

Times like this make us long for our favorite times and places. Coming on here and seeing so many familiar names and your pictures of the lodge has put a smile on my face that will last all day.

Here is hoping we are all at our home away from home soon enough! Stay well groupies!

DisneyNutzy (Gregg)

Welcome back, Gregg! I, too, am happy to hear you and yours are doing well in NYC. I have friends there, and they--like you--have been through so much over the years. Here's my genuine hope that you'll all be stronger as we move forward, and that perhaps one day we can share a drink at TOWL. Thanks so much for checking in. I've found over the years that our Groupie, well, group has become a stabilizing force in many lives, a bedrock for anyone to come and feel connected. Hang in there.

To all the Groupies, thank you for being a true home.

 

[bluecastle]

Didn't get to see my granddaughter this weekend. We all decided that it was still too risky with VA still heading into its peak and me being high risk. Except for when I'm "visiting" her on FaceTime or distracting myself with books, movies, and TV ( finally saw Rise of Skywalker tonight!), I have been feeling rather blue. My daughter shared a website with me that shows POV walk-throughs of the parks and she is busy planning our 2022 trip. So there are definitely things to be happy about and grateful for, but some moments are just harder than others.
Here is a picture from our January 2020 trip. Whenever we were up in the room around 9:30 and I heard the music, I would dash out to the balcony and just enjoy! I know it's a silly little parade, but we have many family memories of seeing it in different locations and it always makes me happy.

 

[jimmytammy]

Gregg, Awesome to see you here, and better than that, hearing you folks are staying well, in the midst of all the chaos. I agree, this is a great place to be, to get the memories flowing of days gone by, and the hopes of what the future holds, whether it be a future trip to WDW, or just knowing we are breathing another day in.

Our group here is a special one, one I hope will last my lifetime. I have met so many kind, special folks on here, and fortunate to know some of them personally, sharing time at WL meets, or fireworks at TOTWL, or nightcaps at Belle Vue Lounge, or the occasional meetup outside of WDW in Durham and Greensboro NC(Sleepy and Luv were so gracious to even meet me in my hometown once, a trip down the mountain side for them). Heck, even Eliza61(Sure miss her not being around)drove all the from NJ to NC just for our 2 hour meet!! Now that's dedication!!

Please dont be a stranger, we love all our groupies

 

[jimmytammy]

Hey All - it’s official - our 40th wedding anniversary trip has been cancelled...oh well - we’re all healthy, I’m still working and there’s always next May!... and we still have our Lodge trip planned for December so there’s that to look forward to. Thanks everyone for these great pictures - helps to chase away the Disney blues

Our 30th is coming up May 12, and Tammy and I had a big too do planned, back to back Disney UK/Amsterdam/Belgium/France in early Sept planned. If I had to say right now, pulling the plug on it would be the right thing to do. We have until June 1 until 2nd cruise needs payment in full, by that time I feel we will make the decision. Amercan Air I think will give us vouchers for flight up until end of 2021, we will definitely lose our money for Highclere Castle tour(Downton Abbey), but $700 lost vs peace of mind, no brainer for me.

Im sorry you folks had to cancel, I feel your pain. But these places will still be here if we are, and as T reminds me from time to time, if God didn't intend it to be, there is a reason.

 

[sleepydog25]

Our 30th is coming up May 12

Happy Anniversary!!

@bluecastle Great nighttime shot!!

 

[rkstocke5609]

Good morning Groupies!
Any opinions on whether I should request a dedicated 1BR for my December stay? I’ve always lucked out with lake view when I’ve stayed in studios, but I’ve never made a request before. Probably need to make the request 2 weeks before arrival I would assume?

 

[sleepydog25]

Good morning Groupies!
Any opinions on whether I should request a dedicated 1BR for my December stay? I’ve always lucked out with lake view when I’ve stayed in studios, but I’ve never made a request before. Probably need to make the request 2 weeks before arrival I would assume?

Hey, Ron! There aren't very many dedicated 1BRs on the lake side of VWL; consequently, your odds for that would be reduced. I do think you have decent odds to get a 1BR if you don't mind including lock-offs. . .as long as your name isn't KAT. We usually make our requests when we book the room, and then we call a couple of weeks before we leave to reiterate the request. I'm not sure our success rate is any better doing that. I'm fairly convinced that you only get what you request in any DVC resort IF your timing is good.

For example, on our last stay at VWL this past December, we simply wanted a high floor, lake side studio. We got a third floor (not bad), bus stop side, right above the linens repository/staging area (that's the bus stop side version of the lake side's dreaded dumpster view). Our most infamous room memory was seven years earlier when we arrived to get married at the Lodge. I mean, c'mon, it was our wedding; we got married on the 4th floor Sunrise Terrace; we had our wedding dinner with guests at Artist Point (RIP ). Again, we wanted a high floor overlooking the old Hidden Springs pool and/or the lake. We got second floor, most of the way down the hall where the trees really blocked any view.

Still, more often than not, we've had a good room with good views. Best of luck!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Good morning Groupies!
Any opinions on whether I should request a dedicated 1BR for my December stay? I’ve always lucked out with lake view when I’ve stayed in studios, but I’ve never made a request before. Probably need to make the request 2 weeks before arrival I would assume?

Hey, Ron! There aren't very many dedicated 1BRs on the lake side of VWL; consequently, your odds for that would be reduced. I do think you have decent odds to get a 1BR if you don't mind including lock-offs. . .as long as your name isn't KAT.

I was thinking I hadn't shared a nice view that we've had in awhile! A dedicated 1BR:

When you stood up it looked like this:

And this:

My request? Lakeview, atrium.
It was kind of atrium I guess? At least it was just above those rooms.
Bus side. Of course.